B. Kannan

B. Kannan Biography

B. Kannan is an acclaimed cinematographer from Tamil cinema, best known for his association with filmmaker Bharathiraja. Kannan is also referred to as "Bharathirajvin Kangal" which literally means ‘Bharathirajas's eyes’. He is the son of famous film director A. Bhimsingh, who has directed Hindi and south Indian films. He is the younger brother of acclaimed editor B. Lenin, and stepson of legendary character artist of south Indian cinema, Sukumari. His mother Sona is the daughter of filmmaker Krishna of Krishnan–Panju duo. His maternal uncle K. Subash was also a film director and screenwriter who directed Tamil and Hindi films.

Bhimsingh Kannan, best known as B. Kannan was born into a family of artists, closely linked with cine world. His father Bhimsingh remained a very successful film director in south Indian films as well as Bollywood. He has directed many family and social dramas during 1950s-1970s. His mother Sona, too belonged to a filmy family. Her father Krishnan and brother K. Subash were successful filmmakers. His father had married twice, second time to well-known actress Sukumari, and he was not legally divorced from Kannan’s mother before he married Sukumari. Kannan has one stepbrother too. Kannan is married to Kanchana and has two daughters.

Kannan got associated with film field in the late 1970s, almost at the time of his father’s death. His father died in 1978, and same year his first movie as an independent cinematographer Oru Nadigai Natakam Parkiral got released. In fact he was launched to cine world by his father through this film, was screened at the International Film Festival of India in 1979. He joined hands with Bharathiraja in 1980 for the movie, Nizhalgal and they gave many hit movies later. He won the prestigious Shantaram Award for Best Cinematography for his work in Kadal Pookkal in 2001. He also received state award twice for Alaigal Oivathillai (1981) and Kangalal Kaidhu Sei (2004).

Published: October 30, 2018

Updated: October 30, 2018